The Game
by hannahjap
Summary: SemiCrack with Mello, Near and Matt regarding a bet and a heavy dose of payback. Written at midnight, please forgive me. XD OneShot.


Classically, it was raining, heavily, and all residents of the orphanage were to stay inside. This was fine for some, namely a boy called Near, but not for others, for example, a boy called Mello. Mello was currently sitting on the windowsill, fidgeting and hoping the rain would die down soon. At least before cabin fever set in. Near sat across the room, keeping to himself and carefully constructing a large model with lego pieces. It must have been at least five minutes before Mello got bored of waiting for the weather to improve and decided to bully the younger boy instead. The first Near knew about this decision was when a shadow fell over him and he turned in time to see Mello kneel down next to him. He was aware by now, after various attempts on his life, health and sanity at the hot-headed blonde's hands, that it was not exactly wonderful when Mello took an interest in him or his work.

"Whatcha doing?" Mello asked casually. So, Near thought, he wants to play.

"Nothing. I was just building." He wondered how many inane questions Mello would ask before tiring of the game and attacking either him or his model. He instinctively shuffled slightly closer to it, hoping he would be able to protect his hard work when it came down to it. Mello cocked his head to one side, inspecting the huge lego monstrosity.

"Ew; what is it?" Mello wrinkled his nose as he asked the question as if to emphasize his point. Near's eye twitched. He hated it when anyone, especially Mello, insulted his work.

"Nothing. Just a thing." Mello scoffed.

"It's about as stupid as you are." Near's lip curled with annoyance. He was feeling a little less facilitating than usual.

"I'm not stupid, Mello," he said, agitated. Mello opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted when the door swung open and a head of scruffy red hair poked around the frame. Matt.

"Mello, have you seen my red shirt anywhere?" Near smirked at Mello's immediate change in tone and posture the second Matt had registered in his mind.

"No, Matt, sorry. I can help you look in a minute."

"'Kay, thanks." He ducked back out of the room, closing the door behind him. After a couple of seconds, Mello turned his head back to face Near, ready to destroy his model at last. He was caught out by Near's smirk and scowled, not realising what was so funny.

"What? Don't grin at me like that, it's annoying." Near wiped his expression back to a usual unimpressed blank stare, with just a hint of the smirk remaining.

"Sorry, Mello, I just think it's endearing." Mello narrowed his eyes, even less impressed.

"What is..?"

"The crush you have on Matt… I think it's kind of sweet. It makes you seem more human." The smirk was back. Mello's frown deepened, failing to see any humour.

"I don't HAVE a crush on Matt. You're so unobservant, Near. And stupid." Near rolled his eyes, turning boredly back to his model.

"Of course you don't."

"I don't."

"I know." There was a brief pause where Near started building again and Mello seemed apparently to stare irritably into space. After about a minute, without looking around, he jammed out his arm, knocking the top layer off Near's model. Near glared at him, but Mello spoke before he had a chance to.

"At least Matt likes me." Mello smiled superiorly, still facing the wall. Near frowned both at the comment and the smile.

"So..? He likes me too." Mello tutted, and shook his head, the smile still spread across his lips.

"Out of _pity_. He _actually_ likes me." Near was annoyed now, he was in no mood to let Mello win one over on him.

"No. He likes me just as much as he likes you. In fact, I'm pretty sure your weird crush creeps him out at times." Mello scowled again; a challenge, was it?

"It does NOT. That is… if it were to exist. Seeing as you imagined it, it can't possibly creep him out, and he still likes me the most. So there." Near was sure for a second Mello was going to stick out his tongue at him. He resisted.

"If he knew what a huge, weird crush you had on him, he would avoid you."

"Yes," Mello agreed sarcastically. "And he would run to your arms, and you'd get married and have three creepy loser children. Not." Near smiled, an idea coming to him. Time for a little payback.

"If you're so sure you're his favourite, maybe you can convince him to kiss you..?" Near was quite secure in the knowledge that Matt would never agree to such a thing. Mello obviously disagreed, as he too smiled in his evil little way.

"Alright. And if you're so sure he likes you just as much, maybe you can try instead. Unless of course, you are willing to admit he likes me more and you're a friendless weirdo." Near scowled. He would not have agreed, but that last comment annoyed him.

"Fine. If either of us can get a kiss from Matt before midnight tonight, that person is clearly the better of us two." With that condition, Near was sure that he wouldn't have to try, as Mello would never be successful and then they could both forget the bet in the morning. Perfect.

"Agreed." Mello held out a hand which Near shook delicately. "Let the game begin."

Matt had positioned himself on a large cushion against one of the full length windows overlooking the garden. He held a sandwich in one hand which was missing a bite. He seemed to have let his mind wander, as he did not at first notice Mello enter the room, and only became aware of the other boy's presence when he was a foot away from him; at which point he jumped slightly, partially due to the oddly cheerful expression on Mello's face.

"Uh, hi… Mello. Are you alright..?" Mello dismissed Matt's apprehension with a swish of his hand. The somehow eerie smile he had had since a few minutes before entering the room still held pride of place on his face, transforming him into someone completely different.

"Sure. Hey Matt, I was wondering if you could do me a favour."

"Uh, yeah. What?" Matt always had the uncomfortable feeling that one day listening to Mello would get him killed.

"Can you meet me in the broom cupboard at eight tonight..? I'll explain later." Matt felt that lovely feeling of impending doom again, but seeing as he couldn't explain it, he just shrugged.

"Alright. It's nothing weird..?" Mello abruptly shook his head.

"No. Anyway, see you there. Eight tonight."

Mello turned on his heel and strode victoriously out of the room, much to Matt's bemusement. He was dimly aware that what he had agreed to was both unusual and probably stupid, but he tried to drown out his fears by finishing his sandwich.

Near had been instructed, or forced, by Mello to wait around the corner. There he stood, impatiently awaiting Mello's return, at which point he would deny the fact that he'd been rejected and would march off in a strop. Then, Near could happily return to his lego, knowing that he would not have to do anything to secure a pleasant draw. He was somewhat shocked when Mello appeared, instead of fuming, with a wide and secretive smile on his face. He hid his disappointment and surprise.

"Did you do it?" Mello seemed to grin even wider.

"Not yet, but Matt agreed that we could meet up tonight and we're going to do it then. So there!" This time, Mello did stick out his tongue before swaggering off. Near scowled to himself. This meant he would have to convince Matt to kiss him as well, otherwise he'd lose. However, he thought, if Mello had managed it, it couldn't be too hard. He wandered off in the direction Mello had come from.

Matt had just finished his sandwich and was stretching when Near appeared in the doorway. A sinking feeling in his stomach, he waited as Near crept over to him. Near cleared his throat.

"Matt, I was just wondering if you wouldn't mind meeting me somewhere tonight... perhaps-"

"Of course," Matt smiled in a manner which appeared to be warm. "How about… the broom cupboard. Tonight at eight..?" Near was a little surprised at just how easy it had been, and made a mental note to point out to Mello that anyone could have done it.

"That sounds perfect. I'll see you tonight, then." Near shuffled off feeling somewhat vindicated by the experience. When he had disappeared from view, Matt sighed, grinning to himself. He was suddenly looking forward to eight o'clock tonight.

Mello had arrived early. He justified it by telling himself that if Matt also arrived early, he wouldn't want to make him wait. Actually, it was now seven minutes past eight and there was no sign of Matt. He'd been there for about fifteen minutes and was starting to get worried. What if Near had told Matt some evil lie to convince him not to come? He dismissed the thought when he realised that Near was not a convincing liar. In fact, the last time Near had reached the end of his tether and left the window in Mello's room open, so that when it rained the whole room stunk of damp for weeks, he had only had to corner him and accuse him and Near had been quite unable to lie about it. At which point he'd punched him. So, Mello thought, Matt was probably just held up. As he considered this, he heard footsteps approach from around the corner. He automatically flung open the cupboard door and dived inside, pulling it shut behind him. Once inside the pitch black and relatively cramped space, he wondered why he had done so. He decided it was nerves.

Near heard the cupboard door click shut just as it came into his view. It seemed Matt had meant in the cupboard rather than outside it, as he had thought. He made another mental note to warn Mello that perhaps Matt was a bit _too_ eager about this sort of thing. Still, he couldn't back down now. He wondered if Mello had already met up with Matt or if he planned to do so later. Either way, he had to do this now, or he'd miss his chance and lose the bet. And if he lost, he'd never hear the end of it. He quickly opened the cupboard door and clambered inside before anyone passed by and saw him.

Mello had clamped his eyes shut, half hoping the approaching footsteps would continue off in some other direction. However, when he felt someone step into the cupboard beside him, and it was hard not to when it was so small, he opened them. Not that it made any difference; it was so dark in the tiny little cupboard that he could only just make out that there was another person in there at all. He wondered if he should say hello or not; he wasn't exactly sure of small-enclosed-space-liaison etiquette. Matt didn't seem entirely sure either, as he remained silent, perhaps waiting for him to make the first move. He suddenly realised he hadn't exactly told him why he'd wanted to meet him here of all places.

Near felt awfully claustrophobic in the tiny cupboard. He also noticed that because of the limited space he was forced to press against Matt, which he wasn't too keen on, especially if Mello had already had his way with him once that day. He reminded himself that he had to do this and that the sooner he did so it would be over. He wondered which one of them was expected to make the first move, but noticing that Matt didn't seem too eager after all, it was probably going to have to be him.

Mello was caught out when Matt coughed quietly, and perhaps ever so slightly impatiently. So, he realised, with a lurch of excitement, he had figured out why he had wanted to meet here after all! And he had come anyway, which meant he was actually all for it! Mello thought slyly to himself how much fun it was going to be to rub Near's nose in it later.

Near was relieved when Matt leaned in to him, so at least he didn't have to instigate it. He wasn't exactly sure he would have been able to. He closed his eyes, and felt Matt press his lips up against his own. Not entirely bad, he thought, at least not nearly as cringe-worthy as expected.

Mello was delighted when Matt didn't at once pull away, as he had half expected him to. In fact, he actually responded, which made his stomach jerk a little. Mello leaned in further, increasing the depth of the kiss.

Near wondered how long this was going to last, as Matt didn't seem desperate to stop any time soon. He actually felt more flattered then creeped out, as he'd imagined he would. He decided it was OK if Matt wanted to kiss for a little while longer.

Mello hoped he wasn't being too forward, but Matt seemed to be pretty into the whole thing. In fact, he swore he patted his arm in an encouraging sort of way, but it could just be because they were forced so close together in the cupboard.

Near wondered if it would be acceptable or even appreciated if he put his hand on Matt's arm, but pulled it away as he was pretty sure that would be a step too far.

After another minute or so, the door swung open and the two opened their eyes to look at who had caught them, without pulling apart in case it was the one they were trying to beat. It wasn't. It was Matt. With a sudden sinking feeling, Mello and Near looked at each other in the light for the first time. There was a whole second where it dawned on them before they shoved the other one away as fast as possible.

"Near! What is wrong with you?" shrieked Mello, a horrified expression on his face. Near stuttered for a second; in shock.

"Y-you must have known it was me!" he babbled, equally horrified by the experience. Mello shook his head with admirable speed.

"Oh no; but you must have known it was me! You're supposed to be the smartest!" Near also shook his head, his eyes having turned huge.

"Y-you put your tongue in my mouth!"

"You let me!"

"I wouldn't have if I'd known it was you! I thought Matt was just being overly keen!" Matt remained with his hand still on the door, grinning diabolically at the two permanently scarred geniuses. After a couple of seconds of hugely awkward silence, Near belted out of the cupboard in the direction of safety. A few more seconds passed before Mello collapsed to the floor, somewhat drained from the whole experience. When he did so, Matt dropped to his knees beside him, still smiling in a way which was far too happy compared to the others. Mello glanced at him.

"Why did you let us do that..?" he asked weakly. Matt shrugged.

"Life is boring; you've got to do what you can." Mello shook his head in disbelief. After a moment, a thought struck him.

"Wait, how did you know what we were going to do..?"

"Do you remember when you were eight and you bet Near that L would rather marry you than him..?"

"Oh yeah…" There was a long, weighted pause. Neither Matt nor Mello said anything for quite some time, until eventually, quietly, Mello spoke.

"Hey Matt..?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think maybe we can keep this a secret?"


End file.
